Abstract: Based on the energy conservation, the elastic energy linked to the compliance change, non-elastic energy dissipated by irreversible deformation and the resistance for crack propagation were quantitatively characterized by evaluation the load/qoad point displacement curves tested by three points bend experiment with single notch beam at 1300℃. The cracks length was determined by compliance calibration curves. It is shown by experimental results that the compliance of 3D-C/SiC composites changes with the cracks can be described by third order polynomial. The variation of crack advancing resistance with non-dimensional equivalent crack length presents a convex curve. The crack advancing resistance increases firstly and then decreases with the non-dimensional equivalent crack length, finally is in comparatively low level. The maximum values of crack advancing resistance are 269.73k J/m^2 for nondimensional equivalent crack length of 0.318 and original notch length of 0.35mm, and 138.65kJ/m^2 for non-dimensional equivalent crack length of 0.381 and original notch length of 2.06mm, respectively.

Key words: fracture resistance, 3D-C/SiC, energy conservation